Heal Your Body, Nurture Your Mind

I was considering today how we as a culture are not aware that the body and mind are equally important to our healing. The mind and body are innately integral to one another. The mind or mental field is non-local. Non-local means it does not exist in just one place, but inherently everywhere or able to move about with the direction of ones awareness. Many experience this phenomenon but are unable to pin point it because we are taught that the energy of the mind solely exists in the brain.

What I and many experience is that the mind is a field that exists beyond time and space. But most importantly for this sharing, it exists in the whole of your body. It exists in the heart, the digestive system, your fascia....it lives and expresses itself in every cell. Your body is a guide to what is occurring in the depths of your emotional and mental fields.

The calming sensation in my cells was so beautiful but short-lived.

When I first started yoga, it was a very stress-filled time in my life. I was still practicing architecture and after many years of dabbling and searching, I decided that yoga was a good path to start. With great intentions and hope in my heart, I started going to class. Afterwards I would feel great and amazed at the familiar feeling; like I had done this before! The calming sensation in my cells was so beautiful but short-lived. After arriving home to settle into the feeling, 15 minutes later, I would feel this intense resurgence of stress in by body taking over.

It was the fear and agitation of overworking daily. It was the feeling that the world was crashing down upon me....from the inside. My daily decisions to overwork, over prove and deal with the psychological abuse at work was competing with the decision I made to heal. As this happened over and over again, I knew I needed more than just the physical aspect of healing and I could not function as I had been.

So, what was this? It was the anxiety I had held in my body for years without physical or mental release. I was carrying the expectations and pressures of a world I had unconsciously agreed to and was re-enacting every day in my mind....and body. I was healing the body but created no release for my mind.

I soon came to realize that Yoga was awakening the emotions I had trapped in my physical body. The energy was rising up to be healed, only to meet the same habits that fed it. I was being pushed beyond my edge in my daily life; even my friends were concerned. I was having crying fits and sporadic, unrecognized experiences of depression. Living by the Atlantic ocean, I didn't even want to go outside.

In the midst of this inner rollercoaster ride, I realized I needed to be reborn in the arms of familiarity. So, I moved back home to Louisiana from South Florida. Thankfully, my parents were open to me being held in a place of comfort and healing at home.

I was able to support my body, by healing my mind.

In this safe space, I was able to reawaken the habit of journaling I loved as a child. I was able to support my body, by healing my mind. I unburdened my heart and body with words released onto the page. This reawakened the curious being I was as a child. Without unveiling this curiosity, I may not have discovered alternative healing which helped me to properly deal with chronic physical pain, misdiagnosis after misdiagnosis from doctors and chronic migraine headaches.

This journey inspired me to pursue a deeper physical practice of yoga, that soon after awakened the desire in me to pursue Yoga Teacher Training, Reiki Training, Certification in Integrative Health Coaching and Yoga Nidra Training. All of this helped me to come home to myself. It gave space for the mystic that had been present in the little girl.

I believe that giving myself permission to dive deep by reconnecting to the art of physical, spiritual practice changed my trajectory. Through the experience of practicing yoga, which means integration, I was able to feel how deeply the movement helped to release the trapped, chronic memories in my mind. At the same time, I saw how acknowledging my mental pain through writing supported my body to become more free in movement.

So today, I do my best to treat myself and every individual I encounter in my craft as a whole being. What I mean is, if there is pain in their body, I immediately check intuitively for mental and emotional discord. In my heart, we are all multi-faceted, multi-dimensional beings. If every part of us is given the loving attention and respect it deserves, we can experience substantial healing.

If you are experiencing something similar, I truly hope sharing my story has supported you in knowing you are not alone. We humans are so much more powerful than we are told. It is my hearts hope that you find the healing power of your own love.

In Lak'ech Ala K'in: "You are another me"

With Warmest Sincerity,

DeeDee